Fall Las Vegas Restaurant Week

Last week was Las Vegas Restaurant Week, which gave me a perfect excuse to indulge in a fancy meal for a good cause.  After perusing the long list of fixed-price menus, my friends and I settled on AquaKnox, a seafood place inside of the Venetian casino.  Honestly, it was one of the best dinners I've had in a long time!  The service was wonderful, and as locals, we were given a few special extras.

First, we were served a perfectly seared scallop as an amuse-bouche.  It came with a fruit relish and a sage garnish.  This was one of the "bonus" menu items.  Amazing!

Next, we had our appetizers.  I opted for the caprese salad.  This was a little different than a typical caprese salad, as it featured sliced peaches, burrata cheese, and avocado.  This is on their regular menu, and I would definitely order it again.  You can't really see the cheese, but it was a big delicious hunk of awesome.

We were then given another bonus treat: an oyster on the half-shell with a strawberry (and lychee?) sauce.  I would never think to pair fruit with oysters, but this was pretty good.

Then, it was time for the main event!  I opted for the trout, and I was so glad I did.  It was sooo good!  The skin was extra crispy, while the fish was perfectly moist and a little on the rare side.  It was served with a bacon ragout, potatoes and onions, and a chive butter sauce.  I inhaled the entire thing.

We were all pretty full after the main course, but we somehow continued eating.  Dessert was called a chocolate s'more, but it was unlike any s'more I've ever had.  I mean that in a good way!  Instead of the chocolate and marshmallow being sandwiched between graham crackers, it featured a thick layer of chocolate mousse on a graham cracker crust, with torched marshmallow on top.  The caramel sauce, crème Anglaise, and caramel corn pieces were nice (and delicious) garnishes.  I inhaled this, too.

And, because they apparently really love locals, we were given one last bonus: an aperitif of lavender cake and a shot of boozy liquid.  The cake bite had a wonderful French lavender flavor, and the drink tasted just like lemonade.  Both were very refreshing, and were a nice end to our meal.

Thanks for a great dinner, AquaKnox!  I don't usually like fancy restaurants, but the excellent service and food, paired with the added love for the local crowd, have made me a fan of this restaurant.  I plan on bringing my parents here the next time they're in town.  I'm looking forward to the next Restaurant Week already!